Saturday, May 14, 2011

Friday's effort - a bit late

As we all probably experienced the blog system was down - makes it a bit difficult to keep in touch with the blogger art community - but we are back online so all is well.

I did manage to get down to the garage-studio yesterday after having cleaned it up a day or so before. I have started on a couple of assemblages but wanted to finish my COMA piece for the COMA Maleny Image 8 "between the lines" exhibition which is to open about 27 May - work to be submitted by 26 May. The exhibition will be in Rosetta Books (bookshop).

All works need to be 150mm square and need to reflect something about a book the artist is familiar with (read?).

My piece reflects my response to The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen. I felt the book was not just a story of his journey after his wife died or about the snow leopard but also about life and the choices we are faced with, with all the twists and turns that are offered or challenge us along the way - as was the case in his journey.

Barry Smith © The journey - turns and choices
Barry Smith © Detail - The journey - turns and choices
The final piece, The Journey - turns and choices, is a grid with a central point. I have stamped sufficient letters into the piece (randomly) to enable the viewer to pick out the words: journey, turns, choices. The gridlines represent the different paths we can take in our life journey and the central point represents the fact that we are the centre of our own journey - nobody else's.


I started the piece with a blank 150mm square piece of rusted iron - which could represent the blank page we start with at the beginning of any journey.

4 comments:

  1. Barry,

    I'm glad you made it through the Blogger fiasco in one piece!

    Your work is powerful, as always, and it's excellent that you have the opportunity to showcase it in so many spaces.

    Have a great weekend!
    Brian

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  2. Hi Brian - yep survived it - but does show that we do become a little bit dependent on these systems. I guess it was even a bit more important to Fiona and myself as we did find it a bit challenging to do our art and also communicate with others in the 5-6 weeks we were on the road doing our research job. But back home creating again - so all is well. And thanks for you support regarding the power of my pieces. Go well. Barry

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  3. Barry - I loved The Snow Leopard, and I love the work you've created in response to it! It truly reflects the essence of the book!

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  4. B - great to see you managed a piece for COMA - I look forward in seeing it in the flesh!

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Comments are welcomed - it is good to connect with fellow travellers.